Russia: Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 Km2 making it the largest country entirely in Europe.

Ukraine Trip

July 2013

Kiev

GOLDEN GATE OF KIEV

Constructed in the middle of the 11th century, the Golden Gate of Kiev stands at the entrance leading into the historic part of the city. A major landmark of ancient Kiev and historic gateway in the ancient city fortress… currently a museum.

ST. SOPHIA’S CATHEDRAL(Byzantine & Baroque architecture)

A historic landmark with 13 church domes … built in 1037; It is now a UNESCO world heritage site.

ST. SOPHIA’S SQUARE

St. Sofia Square is one of the major squares in Kiev. It fronts St. Sofia Cathedral and St. Michaels Monastery can be seen from the square.

ST. MICHAEL’S Golden-domed monastery

It overlooks the old merchant neighborhood. Huge celebration for Christianity was going on. The ceremony with loudspeakers so all could hear….Ukranian, of course

ST. ANDREW’S CATHEDRAL

Built during the mid-eighteenth century under command of Catherine the Great on a steep hill, with a wonderful view of the surrounding area. It is now a museum and one of the most Beautiful buildings in Kiev. Many kiosks/shops are along the streets by St. Andrew’s…. selling souvenirs, books, matryoshka dolls, wooden colored eggs, et al.

We also visited the CAVE MONASTERY, along the banks of the Dnieper river. This is an active functioning monastery compound containing restored churches and towers, as well as a printing works and miles of maze-like underground tunnels where ancient crypts hold the bodies of deceased monks. The mixture of the cool cave temps and humid atmosphere left many of the dead monks mummified. We walked thru the caves with candles and could view the mummified monks.

CHERNOBYL

The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear event that occurred in April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (then officially the soviet union). An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, spreading over much of western USSR Europe. The Chernobyl disaster is widely considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history.

BABI YAR MEMORIAL

Babi Yar, a ravine near Kiev, was the scene of possibly the largest shooting massacre of Jewish victims during the Holocaust. 37,000 Jews were shot in two days time. After the war, commemoration efforts encountered difficulty because of the policy of the Soviet Union. Several attempts were made to erect a memorial at Babi Yar. All attempts were overruled. An official memorial to these Soviet citizens was finally erected iN 1976.

MONUMENT TO THE MYTHICAL FOUNDERS OF KIEV

A monument commemorating the founding of Kiev by early settlers.

Kiev

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